Sebastiano Conca

Gaeta 1680 – 1764 Naples

Sebastiano Conca, one of the most sought-after late Baroque painters in Rome, received his initial training in Naples from Francesco Solimena. In 1706 he went to Rome, where he established himself as a church painter and soon received commissions from royal houses in Europe. His studio was located in the Palazzo Farnese. In 1719 he was admitted to the Accademia di San Luca and later became its principal (1729–32 and 1739–41); he was knighted by Pope Pius XI. In 1751 Conca returned to Naples, where he produced ceiling frescoes in the Church of Santa Chiara.